US2759497A - Device for reducing loom stops - Google Patents

Description

Allg 21, 1956 P. F. PELLETIER 2,759,497

DEVICE FOR REnucING LooM sToPs INVENTOR. PETER PELLETIER DEVICE FOR REDUCING LOOM STOPS Filed Nov. l, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PETER PELLETIER Aug. 21, 1956 P. F. PELLETIER DEVICE FOR REDUCING Loom sToPs 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. l, 1952 INVENTOR. PETER PELLETIER United States Patent O DEVICE Fon REDUCING LooM sToPs Peter F. Pelletier, Biddeford, Maine, assignor to Bates Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Maine Application November 1, 1952, Serial No. 318,183

11 Claims. (Cl. 139-228) This invention relates to improvements in a fillingchange type loom, and relates more particularly to a device which reduces the number of loom stops caused by the breaking of the filling.

The filling-change type loom commonly called a Draper or a Northrop loom, is generally operated in conjunction with several mechanical attachments known as the filling fork motion and the filling feeler motion, which are designed to assure uniformity of fabric and assist in the automatic replenishment of the filling on the bobbin without interruption of the normal operation of the loom. For all quality'fabrics, such as for apparel and for most industrial uses, the filling fork is arranged to stop the loom whenever the filling is missing. For fabrics where good appearance and uniformity are not necessary, such as in bandage cloth, the filling fork mechanism can be arranged so that when it indicates a filling is missed, the filling fork motion will cause the filling transfer mechanism to attempt two bobbin transfers on alternate picks, and if both are unsuccesful in replenishing the filling the loom is stopped. As a result, the missing picks (two or four fillings) cause the formation of a crack or thin spot in the woven fabric. Some attempts to correct this defect have been made by the inclusion of a let-off mechanism operating concurrently with the filling fork motion which temporarily disconnects a tooth-clutch that rotates the take-up gears and lets the take-up roll move back a slight distance, thereby slackening the cloth and warp so that no crack will appear in the fabric. Another factor detrimental to quality of fabric in thus utilizing the filling fork to cause a bobbin change is that usually a portion of a pick will be left in the cloth when the change occurs. This will be true whether accidental breakage causes the change or if the change takes place when the filling on the bobbin becomes exhausted. Thus a portion of the cloth will contain a double pick beginning where the break or runout occurred. While this procedure is satisfactory where limited imperfections are of no significance, it is unsatisfactory when weaving fine fabrics where any slight irnperfection in the weaving is a serious defect. lt is also unsatisfactory when weaving such fabrics as twill, satin or other fancy weaves, because if two or more picks are missed, even though the let-off motion operates properly, the harnesses may not be in the proper order when the filling again starts to enter normally, thereby causing a defect known as a mis-pick to appear in the cloth.

In addition, when a loom stops at the doff (upon the entrance of a new bobbin in the shuttle), while weaving synthetic yarns or other fabrics such as tracing cloth, chambrays and voiles, where a slight differential in surface refiectance appears as a serious defect, it is almost impossible to restart the loom without leaving a mark after a bobbin change. This is the result of the fact that during the time the loom is stopped, the normal weaving tensions have changed and the first pick will have a variation in crimp from the picks inserted during normal operations.

ICC

There has not been, up to this time, a means whereby the loom may be automatically stopped whenever the filling fork indicates a filling miss and will still provide a means whereby a plurality of bobbin transfers will be attempted when the feeler filling motion indicates the filling is about to be exhausted on the bobbin.

To further understand the importance of a device that will accomplish this operation, it is necessary to recognize the fact that filling breakage `occurring siX or more picks after a successful bobbin transfer has been effected, is a relatively infrequent source of loom stoppage and that filling breaks at the doff are one of the commonest causes of loom stoppage. This is especially common when soft twist yarns of cotton or any short staple fiber are used for filling. The strength of the yarn depends upon a certain amount of twist being present in the yarn. Frequently, in removing the yarn from its spinning source, the loose ends of the bobbins that must be tied by hand into the battery or magazine provided for this purpose on the loom may lose part of their twist and become weak at the point they enter the shuttle, even though adequately strong for weaving throughout the balance of the yarn where the twist originally inserted remains. Therefore, the elimination of this source of loom stoppage will add greatly to the operating efiiciency of the loom.

This vnew device, which is added to the conventional Draper loom, having both the feeler and fork filling motions, overcomes the above-mentioned defects by providing for a plurality of automatic attempts to transfer a bobbin only on the consecutive shuttle cycles after the feeler filling motion has called for an original bobbin transfer. If one of the bobbin transfers is successful, the new device is automatically disengaged and placed in an inoperative position and the loom continues normal operation, but if a predetermined number of attempts are unsuccessful, on the next consecutive shuttle cycle the loom is automatically stopped.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of a typical loom stop device embodying the present invention shown in the working arrangement with the conventional feeler and filling fork change motions;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the loom stop device;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken along lines 3 3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view in section also taken along lines 3-3 of Fig. l showing the loom stop device in another posltlon. .y

The present invention is shown in connection with a conventional Draper type loom with only so much of the loom mechanism being shown as is necessary to disclose the relation of thenew device to the ioom parts.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, the conventional filling fork motion A has a filling fork 10, with a hook 11 at one end, which operates in conjunction with a grate or grid (not shown) mounted on the lay of the loom (not shown). The filling fork 1f) is pivotally mounted on the right-hand end of a filling fork slide 12, which in turn is carried by a grooved guide plate 14 secured to the breast beam 15. A filling cam (not shown) which is attached to the cam shaft (not shown) imparts an oscillating movement to a filling cam follower 20 and the filling cam follower lever 21 bolted thereto, which are pivotally mounted on a stud 22 attached to the breast beam 15 of the loom. By the proper cam design, the cam followers 20 and 21 and a follower hook 25 pivotally mounted on the end of follower lever 21, are moved towards the front of the loom on alternate picks each time that the shuttle comes to rest on the left-hand side of the loom. The follower hook 25 is supported by and slides on a bridge 26 in the right-hand end of the fork slide 12, and is designed to engage with the filling fork hook 11 only at certain times when the follower hook 25 is moved forwardly o'f the loom. For example, if a filling is left (by the shuttle) between the fork and the grid (not shown), when the lay (not shown) is moved towards the fork 10 in the conventional manner (on alternate picks when the shuttle is on the left-hand side of the loom), the filling fork 10 cannot enter the grid and therefore will be rotated clockwise so that the fork hook 11 will be pivoted up out of engagement with the follower hook 25.

if a filling is not interposed between the fork 10 and the grid (not shown) the fork 10 will not be pivoted and the follower hook 25 then engages the fork hook 11. This causes the fork slide 12 to be drawn to the left.

Simultaneously with the movement of the fork slide 12, in the arrangement to cause a bobbin to be changed when the filling breaks (as distinguished from the present) a dog 28 (commonly known as a straddlebug), pivotally attached to the side of the fork slide 12, engages the transfer starter arm 31, and shifts the Starter arm 31 rearwardly or to the left, thereby engaging the transfer mechanism (not shown). This causes a new bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle (not shown) when it returns to the battery side (right side) of the loom on the next pick. The straddlebug 28, shown in Figs. l-4, is not of conventional design though it is mounted in the cus- A' tomary position. The purpose and operation of this part will be discussed in more detail later.

Also at the same time the filling fork slide 12 is moved to the left, a floating part known as the filling fork trip l 34 is raised out of the first notch 35 in the fork slide 12 in which it normally rests and falls into the second notch 36, by the engagement of shoulder (not shown) on the bottom of the trip 34 with a suitably shaped boss (not shown) on the fork slide plate 14.

Also during this same action, a shoulder 38 on the left-hand end of the fork slide 12 shifts the let-off arm 39 to the left, thereby letting back the take-up roll (not shown) a distance of two picks.

On the return movement of the cam followers and 21, a spring (not shown) attached at one end to the bottom of the fork slide 12 and at its other end to the fork slide plate 14, returns the fork slide 12 to its original position. Also at the same time, a biased spring 40 attached to a horizontal projection 39a integrally formed as part of the let-off arm 39 and the filling. fork slide plate 14 returns the let-off arm 39 to its original position, and another spring 41 fastened at one end to the breast beam 15 and at the other end to an arm on the same rock shaft as the transfer starter arm 31, returns the starter arm 31 to its original position.

if on the next shuttle cycle a filling is missed and the fork slide 12 is again moved to the left by the engagement of the cam follower hook and the fork hook 11, the transfer and let-off operations are repeated and at the same time the fork trip 34 is shifted from the second notch 36 to the third notch 42. It will be noticed that the third notch 42, in addition to being further to the right than the other notches and 36, is also much deeper. Thus, when the trip 34 is shifted into the third notch 42, a dog 43 on a forward portion of the trip'34 is lowered into such a position that if the fork slide 12 is again moved to the left because a filling is missed by the fork 10, the dog 43 will engage a pivotally mounted knock-off lever 44 and thereby rotate it clockwise. At the same time the knock-off lever 44 rotates the knock-off follower arms 45 and 46 clockwise, thus shifting the manual stop lever 47 forward to the off position, and causing the loom to be stopped.

When the defect is corrected and the loom is restarted, the filling fork trip 34 is returned to the original position in notch 3Sy by the movement of the filling cam follower lever 21 which abuts the right-hand end 49 of the trip 34. The stroke of the cam follower lever 21 is limited so that it does not engage the trip 34 when the latter is in the first or second notches 35, 36, respectively, however, when the trip 34 is in the third notch 42, the right-hand end 49 thereof is engaged by the impact of the lever 21 and returned to the first notch position.

Still referring to Figs. l and 2, the filling feeler motion B (the object of which is to detect the point of approach ing exhaustion of the filling in the shuttle and to cause the filling transfer mechanism to operate) is set in operation by the filling feeler 50 which is attached to the breast beam 15. Each time that the lay comes forward with the shuttle at rest in the left-hand box (not shown), the filling feeler 5f) is inserted through a slot in the side of the shuttle (not shown) and comes in contact with the yarn wound on the bobbin therein. At the same time a filling cam follower trip 51 fastened to the upper end of the filling cam follower lever 21 is moved towards the right-hand end of a feeler slide 52 which is pivotally attached at its left-hand end, as viewed in Figure 2, by means of a pin 53 to the transfer starting arm 31. The right-hand end of the feeler slide 52 is normally held in such a position that it does not engage follower trip 51. However, when the filling on the bobbiu is nearly exhausted, the feeler 54) is moved towards the feeler slide 52, which in turn rnoves rod 54 in the same direction. The end of rod 54 is attached to a lug 55 which is pivotally mounted at the front end of the feeler slide 52. When the rod 54 is moved towards the feeler slide 52, the lug 55 is pivoted into such a position that it engages the filling cam follower trip 51 when the latter is moved towards the transfer starter arm 31. This causes the feeler slide 52 to be shifted to the left which in turn moves the transfer starter arm 31 to the left, thereby causing a new bobbin to be inserted into the shuttle when it reaches the battery side (right side) of the loom on the next pick. Except as indicated, the loom construction described above is of conventional design.

The new device C, which works in conjunction with the filling feeler motion B and the filling fork motion A, has a lever pivotally mounted at one end to the trans fer starter arm 31 by means of the pin 53 (which also pivotally mounts the feeler slide 52). The lever 6i) eX- tends forward towards the right-hand end of the filling fork motion A and rests upon the fork cam 61 between the fork cam prongs 62 and 63.

A stop member 65 with a shoulder 66, best shown in Fig. 2, is secured by any suitable means such as screws (not shown) to thc right-hand end of the fork slide 12. The shoulder 66 is positioned just below and in front of the right-hand end of the lever 6i?, so that when the lever- 60 is pivoted downwardly (as shown in Fig. 4) by the rotation of the fork cam 61, the shoulder 66 will abut the right-hand end of the lever 60 and thus will cause it to be moved in the direction of the transfer starter arm 31 when the fork slide 12 is shifted in that direction in its customary manner. When the fork cam 61 is rotated in the opposite direction and the cam peak is reached (with prongs 62 and 63 disposed in a vertical position) as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lever 60 is pivoted upwardly out of engagement with shoulder 66.

The fork cam 61 and ratchet 74? attached thereto by welding or other suitable means, are rotatably mounted on a shaft 71 positioned above the fork slide 12, and supported at one end through opening 72 in an extension member 73, which in turn is secured at its opposite end to the fork slide guide plate 14 by screw 74. The opposite end of the shaft 71 is bent downwardly and is secured by suitable fastening means (not shown) to the opposite side of the guide plate 14. A spring 7'6 loosely disposed about shaft 71 and positioned between washers 77 and 78, urges ratchet and fork cam 61 away from the extension member 73 and thereby properly positions the ratchet 70 and fork cam 61 with respect to the pawl 80 next to be described.

The ratchet and fork cam 70 and 61 are rotated in a clockwise direction by means of the pawl 80 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 81 between a shoulder 82 thereof and a cotter pin 83. The opposite end of the pin 81 is adjustably mounted through slot 85 of a cam follower extension member 86 by means of a washer 87 and nut 38. The lower end of the extension member 86 is mounted on the uppermost portion of the cam follower lever 21 and is secured thereto by suitable means such as welding. The pawl 80 is thus made movably responsive to the conventional oscillating movement of the cam follower lever 20 and 21. The teeth 91 and 92 on the ratchet 70 are so disposed that the pawl 80 will rotate the ratchet 70 to such a position that the peak position of the fork cam 61 will be reached (with prongs 62 and 63 in a vertical position), thereby pivoting lever 60 out of engagement with shoulder 66, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

In this connection a stop may be provided so as to prevent loom vibration or the movement of the pawl 80 from rotating the fork cam 61 beyond its peak or the prongs 62 and 63 beyond a vertical position.

The fork cam 61 is rotated counter-clockwise, thereby pivoting the lever 6i) into engagement with the shoulder 66 (in the position shown in Fig. 4), by means of a return member 95, best shown in Fig. l, which is mounted on the feeler slide 52 and secured thereto by suitable means such as threading or welding. The end 96 of the return member 95 is positioned just in front of the prong 62 of the fork cam 61 and will thereby move the fork cam 61 counter-clockwise whenever the feeler slide 52 is shifted towards the transfer starter arm 31 (by the engagement of the filling cam follower trip 51 and the feeler slide 52 in the conventional manner).

The straddlebug 28, best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4, which as previously mentioned is of somewhat different design than the conventional type straddlebug, is pivotally mounted by means of a pin 98 extending through a slot 99 on its side. The pin 9S is carried by an upwardly extending portion 100 of the fork slide 12 and the straddlebug 2S is secured thereon by means of washer 101 and cotter pin 102 extending through its opposite end. A plate 103 secured at one end to the fork slide 12 extends through the right-hand portion of slot 99, the purpose of which is to limit the pivoting movement of the straddlebug 28.

The straddlebug 28 diiiers from the conventional design in that it is in no way connected to the transfer starter arm 31 and also its right-hand end has a downwardly extending shoulder 105 which normally rests on a horizontal extension 106 of the lling fork slide plate 14 (as shown in Fig. 3) just in front of the knock-ofi lever 44. Thus, when the fork slide 12 is shifted towards the transfer starter arm 31, the knock-off lever 44 will be moved rearwardly or to the left, thereby causing the manual stop lever 47 to be urged forward in the olf position.

A positioning pin or set screw 110 which is threaded through the lever 60 and secured therein by a lock nut 111, is disposed in a vertical plane just above the straddlebug 28. The length of the pin 110 is so adjusted that when the lever 60 is placed in its upper position by the fork cam 61, as shown in Fig. 3, out of engagement with shoulder 66 of the stop member 65, the pin 110 rests slightly above the left-hand end of the straddlebug 2S. When the lever 60 is placed in its lower position by the counter-clockwise rotation of the fork cam 61 as shown in Fig. 4, and the end of the l,lever 60 is thereby placed in front of the shoulder 66 of the stop member 65, the pin 110 pivots the straddlebug 28 in a counter-clockwise direction so that the shoulder 105 of the straddlebug will not engage the knock-olf lever 44 when the fork slide is shifted towards the transfer starter arm 31.

To explain the operation of the new device C, it will be assumed that during the normal operation of the loom the mechanical parts of the new device as well as those of the filling fork and the feeler change motions A and B are in the position shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3. Further, it will be assumed that the filling fork 10 is not tilted upwardly by a filling interposed between the grid and the fork 10 as the' lay (not shown) is moved towards the breast beam 15 of the loom and remains in the position shown in Fig. 4, thus indicating a filling is missing. As the cam follower hook 25 is moved away from the lay, it will engage the filling fork hook 11 whereby the filling fork slide 12 will be shifted to the left in a direction of the transfer starter arm 31 in the manner previously described.

At this point the normal sequence of loom operation is modified by the new device C in the following respects:

When the fork hook 11 engages the filling cam follower hook 25, and the fork slide 12 is shifted towards the transfer starter arm 31, the loom is immediately stopped because the straddlebug shoulder 105 engages the knockolf lever 44 (Fig. 3), which in turn shifts the knock-off follower levers 45 and 46 and thereby moving the manual stop lever 47 to the o position.

Next, referring to Fig. l, suppose that the feeler 50 indicates that the filling on the bobbin of the shuttle (not shown) is about to be exhausted and initiates a bobbin transfer in the manner previously described. As the feeler slide 52 is moved towards the left, as viewed in Fig. 2, on the next pick, the return member 95 which abuts the prong 62 of the fork cam 61, rotates the fork cam 61 and the ratchet 70 counter-clockwise thereby lowering the lever into engagement with shoulder 66 of stop member 65 and pivoting the straddlebug shoulder 105 up out of engagement with the knock-off lever 44 (as shown in Fig. 4). As the cam follower lever 21 oscillates, the pawl 80 engages the iirst tooth 92 and then as it reverses its motion, it rotates the ratchet clockwise a slight distance. The arrangement of the teeth, however, is such that the amount of rotation of the ratchet and the fork cani 61 is not suiiicient to disengage 'the lever 60 from the stop member shoulder 66, nor to permit the engagement of the straddlebug shoulder 105 with the knock-0E lever 44.

If, on the next successive shuttle cycle, the fork 10 indicates a filling is missed and the fork slide 12 is shifted towards the transfer starter arm 31, instead of stopping the loom, a second bobbin transfer is initiated by the shifting of lever 60 (the end of which is now in engagement with stop member shoulder 66) towards the starter arm 31. While the filling fork slide 12 is being moved to the left, the filling fork trip 34 is shifted from the first notch 35 to the second notch 36 in the conventional manner. Also at the same time the let-off arm 39 is shifted rearwardly, thereby letting back the take-up roll (not shown) two picks, in the manner previously explained. On the return movement of the cam follower lever 21, the fork slide 12, the transfer arm 31 and the let-olf arm 39 are returned to their normal positions as previously described, and at the same time, pawl engages the second tooth 91 and again rotates the ratchet 70 clockwise a slight distance. At this point the ratchet 70 is rotated a suiicient degree so that the fork cam 61 raises lever 60 out of engagement with shoulder 66 of stop member 65, as shown in Fig. 3, and straddlebug 28 drops back down into its normal position with its shoulder in engagement with the knock-off lever 44.

If on the third successive shuttle cycle a iilling is missed, and the fork slide 12 is shifted towards the transfer starter arm 31, a bobbin transfer does not take place, because as previously explained, the straddlebug shoulder 105 is now placed in such a position that it will engage a knock-off lever 44 as the fork slide 12 is shifted to the left thus stopping the loom.

This stop motion arrangement is necessary because, if after a certain number of successive bobbin transfers the filling fork still indicates a missing filling, it is apparent that mechanical adjustment of the loom is necessary to correct the operational failure. Also, if no stop motion were provided, the entire battery would be emptied unless the defect were detected by the operator.

It is important to note that the probability of a successful bobbin change after the first transfer attempt is greatly increased because when a new bobbin is inserted into the shuttle it is supported along its entire length by the yarn on the bobbin beneath it, and therefore will not be tilted as would be the case were the old bobbin exhausted (which causes the filling to drag on the bobbin tip). Also, the yarn on the ejected bobbin cushions the shock of the new bobbin upon its entrance into the shuttle.

While this device is described in connection with a conventional Northrop type loom, it is to be understood that this invention may be applied to other types of looms by a slight modification of the various parts. Also, it is to be understood that though this device is shown in connection with a single harness arrangement, it may be applied to a multiple harness arrangement as well. Furthermore, it is to be understood that a greater or lesser number of bobbin transfer attempts than that called for in the form of the invention described above can be provided by a slight modification of the device which would be apparent to anyone skilled in the art. Therefore, the form of the invention described above should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a filling change type loom, a device for reducing loom stops comprising; a feeler to detect the approaching exhaustion of the yarn on a bobbin, a filling detecting means to detect a filling miss, a filling slide movably responsive to said filling detecting means when the latter indicates a filling is missed, a stopping means mounted adjacent to said filling slide which when moved in the same direction as said filling slide, stops the loom, a dog pivotally mounted on said filling slide movable in and out of position to engage said stopping means, a feeler slide movable in the same direction as said filling slide in response to the detection of approaching exhaustion of yarn on a bobbin by said feeler, a transfer starter arm to operate a bobbin transfer mechanism mounted adjacent to said filling slide, said transfer starter arm being connected to said feeler slide so that when moved thereby it initiates a bobbin change, a means mounted on said filling slide to actuate said transfer starter arm whenever said dog is out of position to engage said stopping means, a cam means movable in response to said feeler slide to pivot said dog out of position to engage said stopping means, a ratchet wheel and pawl means to move said cam in another direction and thereby pivot said dog back into position to engage said stopping means after at least one additional actuation of the bobbin transfer mechanism following an actuation of the bobbin transfer mechanism which failed to effect a bobbin change.

2. A device for reducing loom stops on a loom comprising a follower lever which oscillates towards and away from said loom during operation, a filling fork slide, a filling fork means for detecting the presence or absence of filling pivotally mounted on said filling fork slide, a 1first means responsive to said filling fork means to engage said filling fork slide with said follower lever, a transfer starter arm mounted adjacent to said filling fork slide and movable to initiate a bobbin transfer, a feeler slide having one end pivotally connected to said transfer starter arm and extending generally parallel with said filling fork slide, a detecting means connected with said feeler slide to engage said follower lever with said feeler slide when the yarn on the bobbin is near exhaustion, a member mounted adjacent to said filling fork slide to start and stop the loom, a dog pivotally mounted on the side of said filling fork slide and normally in a position to engage said member to stop the loom and movable into another position out of the path of engagement with. said member, means responsive to the movement of said detecting means when the yarn in the bobbin is near exhaustion to connect said feeler slide with said filling fork slide, means responsive to the move ment of said follower lever to disconnect said feeler slide from said filling fork slide after more than one unsuccessful attempt to effect a bobbin change, and means to move said dog to said other position out of the path of engagement with said member when said filling fork sli-de and said feeler slide are connected.

3. A device for reducing loom stops on a loom cornprising a follower lever which oscillates towards and away from the lay of the loom during operation, a filling fork slide mounted in front of said lay, a filling fork means for detecting the presence or absence of filling pivotally mounted on said filling fork slide, means responsive to said filling fork means to engage said filling fork slide with said follower lever, a transfer starter arm mounted adjacent to said filling fork slide and movable to initiate a bobbin transfer, a feeler slide having one end pivotally connected to said transfer starter arm and extending generally parallel with said filling fork slide, a detecting means connectable to said feeler slide to engage said feeler slide with said follower lever when the yarn on the bobbin is near exhaustion, a loom stopping member mounted adjacent to said filling fork slide, a dog pivotally mounted on the side of said filling fork slide and movable into position to engage said loom stopping member to stop the loom and out of position to engage said loom stopping member, a lever pivotally mounted on said transfer starter arm and extending forward towards said loom in a generally parallel relationship with said feeler slide and said filling fork slide and being disposed adjacent to said dog, lever engaging means mounted on one end of said filling fork slide to engage said lever with said filling fork slide7 means responsive to the movement of said feeler slide to pivot said lever into position to engage said lever engaging means, means responsive to the movement of the follower lever to pivot said lever out of position to engage said le-ver engaging means, and means attached to said lever and engageable with said dog to move said dog out of position to engage the loom stopping member when said lever is moved into position to engage said lever engaging means and also to move said dog into position to engage the loom stopping member when said lever is pivoted out of position to engage lever engaging means.

4. A device for reducing loom stops on a loom comprising an oscillatable follower lever, a filling fork slide mounted for sliding movement, a filling fork means for detecting presence or absence of a filling pivotally mountv ed on said filling fork slide, means responsive to the movement of said filling fork means to engage said filling fork slide with said follower lever, a transfer starter arm mounted adjacent to said filling fork slide and movable to initiate a bobbin transfer, a feeler slide having one end pivotally connected to said transfer starter arm and extending generally parallel with said filling fork slide, a detecting means connected with said feeler slide to engage said follower lever with said feeler slide when the yarn on the bobbin is near exhaustion, a loom stopping member mounted adjacent to said filling fork slide, a dog pivotally mounted on the side of said filling fork slide normally in position to engage said loom stopping member to stop the loom and movable out of position to engage said loom stopping member, a lever mounted on said transfer starter arm and extending towards the lay of the loom in a generally parallel relationship with said feeler slide and Said filling fork slide and being disposed adjacent to said dog, a lever engaging means mounted on one end of said filling fork slide, a cam means to pivot said lever in and out of position to engage said stop means, means responsive to the movement of said feeler slide to move said cam means to such a position that said lever is pivoted into position to engage said stop means, means responsive to the movement of said follower lever to move said cam means to such a position that said lever is moved out of position to engage said lever engaging means, after a plurality of oscillations of said follower lever, means attached to said lever and engageable with said dog to pivot said dog out of position to engage said loom stopping member when said lever is in position to engage said loom stopping means and out of position to engage said dog when said lever is pivoted out of position to engage said lcver engaging means, permitting the dog to return to normal position in a path to engage the loom stopping member.

5. A device for reducing loom stops on a loom as described in claim 4 wherein said means responsive to the movement of said follower lever comprises a ratchet wheel attached to said cam means and a pawl responsive to the movement of said follower lever which rotates said ratchet wheel and said cam.

6. In a filling change type loom, a device for reducing loom stops comprising a feeler detecting means to detect the approaching exhaustion of yarn on the bobbin and to initiate a bobbin change, a filling detecting means to detect a filling miss and to initiate a bobbin change, a loom stopping means normally actuated by said filling detecting means when the latter indicates a filling is missed, and means controlled by said feeler detecting means to render the stopping means ineffective for a predetermined number of picks of the loom, said filling detecting means being operative to initiate a bobbin change each time it detects a missing filling during said predetermined number of picks of the loom, said stopping means being rendered effective at the end of said predetermined number of picks so that if the filling detecting means detects a filling miss at the end of said predeu terrnined number of picks the loo-m will be stopped.

7. In a filling change type loom, a device for reducing loom stops comprising a feeler detecting means to detect the approaching exhaustion of yarn on the bobbin and to initiate a bobbin change, a filling detecting means to detect a filling miss, a filling slide movably responsive to said filling detecting means when the latter indicates a filling is missed, loom stopping means, a movable member responsive to the movement of the filling slide to activate the loom stopping mechanism, means controlled by the feeler detecting means to move said member out of position to activate the loom stopping mechanism, and means to move said member back in position to activate the loom stopping mechanism after a predetermined number of picks of the loom.

8. In a filling change type loom, a device for reducing loom stops comprising a feeler detecting means to detect the approaching exhaustion of yarn on the bobbin and to initiate a bobbin change, a filling detecting means to detect a lling miss, a filling slide movably responsive to said filling detecting means when the latter indicates a filling is missed, loom stopping means, a first movable member responsive to the movement of the filling slide to activate the loom stopping mechanism, a second member movable to operative position by the feeler detecting mechanism for a predetermined number of picks of the loom, said second member when operative effecting a bobbin change during the movement of the filling slide, the movement of said second member to the operative position rendering the said first member inoperative so that succeeding operations of the filling slide will operate the second member to change the bobbin, means for moving the second member to operative position and then after a predetermined number of picks of the loom to inoperative position, said movement of the second member to inoperative position restoring the first member to operative position to activate the loom stopping mechanism on the next operation of the filling slide.

9. A combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein the means to move the second member to operative and inoperative positions includes a movable cam element, said cam element being moved to set the said second member in operative position when the feeler detecting means indicates the approaching exhaustion of yarn on the bobbin, and including a ratchet mechanism to move the cam to restore the second member to inoperative position after a predetermined number of picks on the loom.

10. A combination as set forth in claim 8 wherein the second member engages and pivots the first member to inoperative position when the second member is rendered operative, `and wherein the first member is pivotally restored to operative position after the second member is rendered inoperative.

1l. 1n a filling change type loom, a device for reducing loom stops comprising a feeler detecting means to detect the approaching exhaustion of yarn on the bobbin and to initiate a bobbin change, a filling detecting means to detect a filling miss and to initiate a bobbin change, a loom stopping means normally actuated by said filling detecting means when the latter indicates a filling is missed, means controlled by the feeler detecting means to render said loom stopping means inoperative for a plurality of successive shuttle cycles when the feeler detecting means detects the approaching exhaustion of yarn on the bobbin prior to the filling detecting means detecting a filling miss, and means to condition said stopping means for operation to stop the loom following said plurality of successive shuttle cycles, whereupon if a filling miss is detected by the filling detecting means during the shuttle cycle following the plurality of successive shuttle cycles the stopping means will be operative to stop the loom, whereas if a ii11 ing miss is detected by the filling detecting means the loom stopping means will be actuated to stop the loom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 817,445 Perkins et al. Apr. 10, 1906 1,186,931 Northrop June 13, 1916 1,186,932 Northrop c- .Tune 13, 1916 1,186,933 Northrop June 13, 1916 1,240,592 Owen Sept. 18, 1917 1,285,385 Rhoades Nov. 19, 1918 1,320,608 Draper et al Nov. 4, 1919

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